1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved mobile hook for the shed forming device in a weaving loom.
2. History of the Related Art
Mobile hooks for the shed forming devices in weaving looms are known to include two hooks associated with each of the ends of a funicular element which is associated with one of the pulleys of a lifting beam. The lifting beam includes a second pulley around which passes the harness cord of the warp yarn which it is lifted or lowered. Each hook is provided with a lateral nose element cooperating with a knife which oscillates with a vertical reciprocating movement. In the prior art, the different elements of the shed forming devices are free in space, which leads to drawbacks. Firstly, the mobile hook associated with the ends of the funicular element are not guided, with the result that, if a harness cord breaks, it is very difficult to replace, especially if it is remote from the edge of the device in question. In addition, the fact that the hooks are not guided may causes them to drop to the centre of the device, which may cause an entanglement of the different funicular elements with one another or with the non-broken harness cords.
In addition, in the absence of guides for the mobile hooks, difficulties may be encountered in gripping the corresponding retaining hook since the path of the mobile hooks is not exactly determined.
These drawbacks have been partially overcome by grouping each system, composed of the mobile hooks, the lifting beam and the retaining hooks, between two separating partitions, thus enabling compact, independent assemblies to be made, and possibly grouped, in easily dismountable modules as disclosed in applicants' copending U.S. application Ser. No. 896,212 filed Aug. 14, 1986. However, these partitions do not prevent the drop of the hooks to the outside in the event of certain mishaps such as the break of a retaining hook. Moreover, the modules thus produced cannot easily be oriented other than vertically.